Thursday, May 21, 2009

In the Groove

Three chapters away from finishing the second draft of the book, I've finally found my editing groove. I started off sloooowly in February, one chapter at a time. The work was painful as I second-guessed everything I'd originally written, worrying that working on one chapter at a time wasn't going to leave everything feeling as though it flowed.

In April, I abandoned the edits as I let other projects take over. I found myself wishing some miracle would happen and the book would rewrite itself so I could get back to work on the book I started in November. The one I'm having so much fun with.

Last weekend I picked up the loose pages of the manuscript, sharpened a couple of pencils and planted myself in a sunny spot on the back deck. Two hours later, I'd plowed through three chapters, two glasses of iced tea, managed to get a farmer's sunburn on my left arm and was left with a huge sense of accomplishment and a numb butt. I couldn't wait to get back to it on Sunday.

Yesterday afternoon I did three more chapters in the sunshine. Apparently sitting in the sunshine with a stack of papers on my lap and the dog at my feet is the perfect place to edit the book. The ecstatic and varied birdsongs around me are the perfect backdrop. The girls run from the playhouse to the swingset and back as I sit for hours and write. The pencils I sharpened become more and more dull and I'm loathe to interrupt myself to go sharpen them again. My butt is becoming numb again and I have to pee, but I am having fun. I am having FUN. Re-working this book. Making it better.

Even though I'm saving the hardest parts for last, I still woke up this morning wishing I could skip the morning routine and head right out to the deck in my slippers and robe with the remaining stack of papers. I'll get there. After toast for the girls and coffee for me, more sharpening of the pencils (maybe I'll take three today), and starting the dishwasher, I'm finding my groove again. Ahhhh.